Rosie O’Donnell Loves ‘Hamilton’

June 10, 2016 9:09 AM

Hamilton Cast (Photo: Joan Marcus)

By Hayden Wright

Hamilton is the kind of Broadway phenomenon that inspires superfans, from everyday listeners in the middle of the country to famous celebrities who’ve seen the show 15 times. Rosie O’Donnell is one such famous face and felt so strongly about her Hamilton fandom, she penned a moving essay in The Hollywood Reporter to express her admiration.

“Hamilton is medicine that I need for my soul. It is vital to me; it feels like going to church. I told my therapist, ‘If I could see it once a week, I wouldn’t need medication,'” she wrote. “I’ve seen it fifteen times. Mariska Hargitay is a close second, she loves it like I do. I have eight of the original hoodies that they don’t make anymore, and every time I walk in, there’s one usher who always goes, “Rosie, red wine?”

As the musical vies for a record 16 Tony Awards this weekend, its cultural influence (and its Pulitzer Prize, among others) can’t be ignored.